Apparatus for controlling the ballooning of yarn



Nov. 7, 1961 E. w. STARNES 3,007,299

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE BALLOONING OF YARN Filed Jan. 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Earl W. Sternes Httorn eys Nov. 7, 1961 E. w. STARNES 3,007,299

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE BALLOONING OF YARN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 21, 1960 3 a, Ill/Ill!!! I! \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\wN -u INVENTOR Earl W. Stames Httorneys nited fitates Patent @fifice 3,007,299 Patented Nov. 7, 1961 3,007,299 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE BALLOONENG F YARN Earl W. Star-lies, The Russell Manufacturing Company, Alexander City, Ala. Filed Jan. 21, 1960, Sor. No. 3,832 1 Claim. (Cl. 57-36) This invention relates to apparatus for controlling the ballooning of yarn in fiber attenuating apparatus and more particularly to such apparatus in which the ballooning yarn generates a figure of revolution completely enclosing the attenuating apparatus. The present application is a continuation-in-part of my co-pending application Serial No. 771,528, filed November 3, 1958, now Patent No. 2,955,410.

Heretofore, stationary shields or hoods have been provided to control the ballooning of yarn, but considerable friction has been generated between the yarn and the stationary shields, especially at high speeds of rotation. This has resulted, at times, in the breakage of the fiber strand.

The present apparatus comprises a hood or shield which rotates with the fiyer inso-oalled two for one twisting apparatus in which the ballooning fiber generates a figure of revolution completely enclosing the attenuating apparatus thereby allowing an unusually compact unit and without the use of a ring and traveler. The hood is secured to the flyer and extends therefrom about the attenuating apparatus. As the hood rotates with the fiyer friction generated between the yarn and the hood when the yam is in contact with the hood is minimized, thus tending to minimize breakage and undue tensioning.

The preferred form of the invention comprises a hood secured to and rotating with a flyer and extending around the attenuating apparatus. An opening for the passage of the yarn is provided through the wall of the hood so that the yarn can extend therethrough to a package building apparatus. Since the air inside the opening revolves with the yarn, there is no air drag on the yarn thereby elirnina' g all air drag tensions and enabling the yarn to be spun with very low strains. A modification of my invention comprises a hood secured to and rotating with a fiyer outwardly of the ballooning yarn and similar to the preferred form of the invention but without an opening for the yarn in the hood wall. The outwardly ballooning yarn rests slidably against the inner surface of the hood and is restrained thereby against further outward movement.

The above forms of the invention are particularly adapted for use with apparatus utilizing high speed twistring in the manufacture of yarn, particularly the finer sizes of yarn. By supporting the balloon of the yarn, the yarn is relieved of a considerable portion of the stress and strain created by the contrifugal force and air drag in a high speed twisting operation.

A further modification of my invention comprises a hood secured to and rotating with the flyer while extending inwardly of the ballooning yarn and around the attenuating apparatus. At timm, ballooning yarn under a lower tensioning than that ordinarily used in the preferred form of the invention forms a figure of revolution having its outer surface in the shape of a sinuous curve with inner and outer nodes. Thus, the ballooning yarn sometimes becomes entangled in the attenuating apparatus. The hood in the modification of my invention keeps the yarn from becoming entangled in the attenuating apparatus while rotating with the flyer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means rotating with the flyer in two for one twisting 2 apparatus to support ballooning yarn that generates a figure of revolution enclosing the twisting apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide means rotating with the flyer in two for one twisting appara tus which extends about the attenuating apparatus outwardly of the ballooning yarn to restrain the outward movement of the balloon thereby relieving the yarn of a considerable portion of the stress and strain created by centrifgual force and air drag in a high speed twisting operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide means rotating with the fiyer in two for one twisting apparatus which extends about the twisting apparatus inwardly of the ballooning yarn to prevent the ballooning yarn from becoming entangled in the attenuating apparatus.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the preferred form of my invention showing means in section to support the balloon of a fiber strand;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a modified form of my invention showing means rotating with the flyer to support the inwardly extending nodes of the ballooning yarn; and,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a further modification of my invention showing ballooning yarn contacting the inner surface of a hood rotating with the flyer.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of my invention, I show in FIG. 1 the preferred embodiment of my invention having a support frame indicated generally by the numeral 10 and an electric motor '11 mounted thereon. A pulley 12 is driven by electric motor 11 and has a belt 13 extending thereover to pulley 14 which is secured to shaft 16 mounted in bearings 17 on support frame 10. An axially extending passage 18 (see FIG. 2) is formed in shaft 16 to receive fiber strand S as will be further explained. An outer tubular column 19 receives shaft 16 and bearings 21 support shaft 16 for rotation relative to column 19. A can indicated generally by the numeral 22 is secured to column '19 and has a plurality of yarn supply packages 23 therein having fiber strands S thereon which are adapted for being drawn and twisted into yarn. The yarn may be formed from a single supply package 23 or if desired, a plurality of fiber strands S may be used to form the yarn.

A flyer disc 24 is mounted on shaft 16 and has a yarn receiving passage communicating with axially extending passage 18 to receive the fiber strand S therethrough so that the fiber strand S may extend from passage 18 to a yarn tensioning device 27. Tensioning 27 is mounted on a cut-out portion 29 of flyer 24- by suitable connecting means. Tensioning device 27 is preferably in the form of a piece of wire or the like about which the fiber strand S is wrapped therearound at least one turn in order to obtain proper tensioning in fiber strand S as it is being twisted.

A support disc 31 is mounted on top of column 19. A drawing or attenuating unit indicated generally by the numeral 32 is mounted on support disc 31 and comprises a plurality of pairs of drawing rolls 33 between which strand S passes. Drawing rolls 33 are driven through gear 34 secured to the end of shaft 16 by suitable means, not shown in the drawings. Reference may be made to my prior Patent No. 2,867,967, issued January 13, 1959, for details of the driving connection between gear 34 and drawing rolls 33.

A magnet 36 is mounted on support 10 by rods 35 and holds can 22 and column 19 along with attenuating apparatus 32 against rotation with shaft 16 as flyer disc 24 rotates. Disc 24 is preferably formed of a plastic material and therefore, it is not attracted magnetically by magnet 36. Thus, it is evident that shaft 16 and flyer 24 secured thereto rotate freely relative to tubular column 19 and attenuating apparatus 32 while being supported by bearings 17 and 21.

A package building apparatus 37 is positioned above attenuating apparatus 32 and on the same side of fiyer 24 as the attenuating apparatus. The drive for the package building apparatus 37 is indicated diagrammatically as being from pulley 38 driven by motor 11 through gear reducer 30 with a belt 39 extending to a pulley 41 on shaft 42. Shaft 42 has a gear 43 on an end thereof for driving package building apparatus 37 through gears 44 and 46. A yarn package 47 is mounted on shaft 48 which has ends mounted in slots 49 on arms 50 so that package 47 moves vertically as the yarn builds up thereon. Shaft 52 rotates in contact with the outer periphery of yarn package 47 and thus the yarn package increases in diameter as yarn is wound thereon.

A guide 53 having an eye therethrough receives fiber strand S from flyer disc 24. To hold fiber strand S against twisting, a roller 54 is mounted between parallel arms 56 of a bracket 57. Shaft 42 runs in contact with roller 54 and extends through arms 56. Thus, the yarn is held against rotation between roller 54 and shaft 42. For further details of the attenuating, twisting and package building apparatus, reference may be had to my above mentioned prior Patent No. 2,867,967.

It is understood that fiber strand S passing from fiyer 24 to package building apparatus 37 balloons due to the centrifugal force generated by the rotation of flyer 24. The figure of revolution generated by the ballooning yarn completely encloses attenuating apparatus 32 and can 22 holding supply packages 23. Flyer disc 24 may be rotated at unusually high rpm. For instance, a flyer disc 12 inches in diameter has been operated at a rate of 4,000 rpm. with satisfactory results. Such speeds generate a relatively high centrifugal force in the balloon of the yarn, and in the spinning of very fine size yarn, breakage of the yarn due to this centrifugal force sometimes results. To support the balloon of the fiber strand S and to relieve the ballooning yarn of the breaking effect of centrifugal force and air drag, a hood 58 is secured to the periphery of disc 24 by suitable brackets 59 secured by screws 61. Hood 53 rotates with fiyer 24 and is of a cylindrical shape at its base. An opening 60 extends through the wall of hood 58 and yarn strand S passes through opening 60 to the package building apparatus 37. As the air within opening 60 rotates with hood 58, there is no air drag on the yarn thereby eliminating all air drag tensions. Hood 58. may be formed of a plastic material although other materials may be used.

In operation, upon rotation of flyer 24 at high speeds, fiber strand S between tensioning device 27 and guide 53 is supported by the surface defining opening 60 and thus, a major part of the stress and strain on the balloon of strand S from centrifugal force and air drag is reduced by hood 58. Further, a very fine size yarn can be twisted by the present apparatus with flyer disc 24 rotating at high speeds.

In the modified form of my invention shown in FIG. 3, the attenuating and twisting apparatus is identical to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and like numerals appear in FIG. 3 therefor. The modified form of my invention is adapted for use with ballooning yarn under a lower tensioning than the tensioning ordinarily obtained in the preferred embodiment of the invention. As mentioned previously, inwardly extending nodes are commonly formed in the ballooning figure of revolution under such lower tensioning and a hood 63 is provided to keep the ballooning figure from becoming entangled with attenuating apparatus 32. Hood 63 rotates with flyer 24 and is secured thereto by suitable brackets 64 having securing means connecting brackets 64 to flyer 24 and hood 63. Hood 63 extends upwardly above attenuating apparatus 32 and is cylindrical in shape. Thus, inwardly extending nodes of strand S, as shown in FIG. 3, contact shield 63 and are thereby prevented from contacting attenuating apparatus 32 and becoming entangled therewith.

In the additional modification of my invention shown in FIG. 4, the attenuating and twisting apparatus is identical to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. A hood 66 is se cured to flyer 67 and rotates therewith while extending from the fiyer outwardly of the ballooning yarn around the attenuating apparatus. The outwardly ballooning yarn rests slidably against the inner surface of hood 66 and is restrained thereby against further outward movement. The upper end of hood 66 is of a conical section and has a central aperture 63 therethrough so that strand S may pass through hood 66 to package building apparatus 37. Aperture 68 is smooth so that fiber strand S will pass freely therethrough.

From the foregoing, it is understood that I have provided a hood or shield rotating with the flyer for supporting ballooning fiber in two for one twisting apparatus in which the ballooning fiber generates a figure of revolution completely enclosing the attenuating apparatus. By having the hood rotating with the fiyer, friction between the yarn and the hood is minimized when the yarn contacts the hood thereby tending to minimize breakage.

While I have shown my invention in three forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are specifically set forth in the appended claim.

What I claim is:

In apparatus for attenuating and twisting a strand of fiber, an untwisted strand supply package, attenuating apparatus to which the strand is delivered from the supply package, a fiyer rotating in a circular path relative to the attenuating apparatus and positioned to receive the strand from the attenuating apparatus and form a ballooning figure of revolution about the supply package and the attenuating apparatus, means positioned on the same side of the flyer as the attenuating apparatus to hold the strand against twisting, and a hood secured to and rotating with said fiyer, said hood extending toward the first mentioned means about the attenuating apparatus and within the ballooning figure of revolution thereby preventing entanglement of the ballooning yarn with the attenuating apparatus.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,609,652 De Halleux Sept. 9, 1952 2,867,967 Starnes Jan. 13, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 68,534 Netherlands Aug. 15, 1951 

